Phased re-opening of car parks at Nene Park - Wednesday 13 May

Following the Government’s announcement on Sunday 10 May and the subsequent detailed guidance published on Monday 11 May, setting out that people may drive to outdoor open spaces, irrespective of distance, we have been working hard to ensure it is as safe as possible for us to begin reopening the car parks at Nene Park. We will be taking a gradual approach, ensuring at each step that we have the appropriate resources and safety measures in place.

We will open the following car parks from Wednesday 13th May:

Ferry Meadows including the Lakeside car park (but not the overflow car park)

Thorpe Meadows

Orton Mere

Orton Meadows

Car parking spaces will be restricted to help us to manage the number of people arriving by car. We will not be opening our overflow car parks to start with, although we will keep this under review.

We would still strongly recommend that people only visit the Park by foot or by bike, as this is still the best way to guarantee a sustainable visit to Nene Park. For those arriving by car, we would urge that you think carefully about the time you come so as to avoid peak times (11am-3pm), and try and use other car parks other than Ferry Meadows, such as Thorpe Meadows or Orton Mere. Once our car parks are full, they will be closed and cars will be turned away (both members and non-members).

In order to help regulate and manage numbers, parking charges will still apply at this time and visitors who do not have an annual parking membership will need to use the parking payment machines on exit. Social distancing markers will be in place at the parking machines along with hand sanitiser, where available. Please sanitise your hands after using the parking payment machines.

If you would like to purchase an annual parking membership, you can do so by completing the parking membership application form available from our website and posting it with a cheque made payable to Nene Park Trust to the Trust’s offices at Ham Farm House, Ham Lane, Peterborough PE2 5UU. For any general enquiries please email parking@neneparktrust.org.uk

Public toilet facilities will also re-open from Wednesday 13 May, as will a limited takeaway Café offer from Friday 15 May. Until further notice, BBQs will not be allowed in the Park and all play areas will remain closed. The Visitor Centre and Nene Outdoors will also remain shut. With a continuing limited Duty Ranger presence we will not be able to administer first aid to Park visitors.

We will be monitoring our visitor numbers and social distancing behaviour carefully. If the guidelines are not followed we may be forced to close the car parks again, especially if we perceive that the situation has become unsafe for our staff and the public.

Although Nene Park Trust is trying to minimise the risk of transmitting Covid-19 in the Park, we are dependent on the goodwill and common sense of our visitors in adhering to social distancing measures and meeting no more than one person outside their household group.